Self anchoring hair curler



United States Patent SELF ANCHORING HAIR CURLER 9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 132/40 References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3.123.079 3/1964 Buesgen 132/40 3.123.080 3/1964 Brenn-Albertoni... 132/40 3.209.766 10/1965 Dannat 132/40 3,215,149 11/1965 Weinberg 132/40 FOREIGN PATENTS 255.151 1/1964 Australia 132/40 Primary Examiner-Russell R. Kinsey Atturne \'-Pennie, Edmonds. Morton .Tay1or and Adams ABSTRACT: A self-anchoring hair curler comprising a unitary body having a center portion. and end portions having engaging areas of greater diameter than the center portion, protuberances extending from the center portion and engaging elements upstanding from the end portions, the elements lnt.C1 1. A-iSd 2/00 having catching extremities, the elements intermeshing with Field ofSearch 132/4039. taut hair roots and self-anchoring the curler adjacent the 4l.38,42 scalp.

I4 28 l3 l5 [O l I k 14 u \t Patented Oct. 13, 1970 3,533,418

FIG. F|G.4 FIG.5A FIG'.6

FIG. 71'FIG4'8 FIG. 9 FIG. IOFIG."

. ms u' 27 32 25 26 INVENTOR GEORGE DeMESTRAL A SELF ANCHORING HAIR'CURLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldot'the Invention This invention relates to the hair curlers and. more particularly, to hair curlers of the self-engaging type.

2. Description of the Prior Art Self-engaging curlers have had a certain success because they are able to maintain hair rolled thereon in a tightly fixed roll without need for pins. clips or elastics. But curlers of this type have the disadvantage that the number of gripping elements required for effective self-engagement also have the eumulative effect of holding the hair too tightly so that removal of the curler is often difflcult and accompanied by painful tearing of the hair. One suggested solution was to reduce the average density of the gripping elements on the center portion of the curler in relation to the density of such elements at the ends. This invention seeks to further improve this type of curler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a curler body having an area for rolling the hair distinct from the area of self-engagement. Thus, the hair curler of the invention comprises an elongated body portion having a center portion on which hair can be rolled and end portions joined to the center portion at its extremities. Both end portions extend longitudinally and have an exterior surface which is removed from the longitudinal axis of the curler beyond the exterior surface of the center portion. Engaging means disposed on those end portion exterior surfacesanchor the curler adjacent the scalp. In another form of the invention, outwardly extending protuberances are disposed adjacent the exterior surface of the center portion. These protuberances intermesh with the hair to aid in rolling the hair about the center portion and also tend to maintain the hair in a tight roll after the curler is fixed near the scalp by the engaging means on the end portions.

A further understanding of the invention is had from the several embodiments described below with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an axial cross section of one form of the curler.

FIG. 2 is a view of this same curler in the position in which it is to be used.

FIGS. 3 to 6 show, in elevation, various forms for the protuberances on the center portion of the curler.

FIGS. 7 to 11 show, in elevation, various forms for the engaging elements on the end portions of the curler.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the FIG. I, a hair curler comprises an elongated tubular body 10, which is formed of plastic or other suitable material. The curler includes a center portion 11 of smaller maximum outside diameter than the minimum outside diameter of adjacent cylindrical end portions 12 to define a circumferential recess between the end portions 12. The center portion 11 has an exterior surface 13 which is concave in longitudinal cross section. The center portion II is disposed between outwardly flared flange portions 14 at its lateral-extremities, which integrally join the center portion 11 to the respective cylindrical end portions I2.

The center portion 11 may be provided with outwardly extending protuberances 15 which preferably extend radially outwardly from the curler body 10 are of the same material as the curler body 10 and are formed integrally therewith. These protuberances I5 intermesh with hair 16 rolled on the center portion 11 and aid in rolling the hair 16 and maintaining it in place in a tight rollwhen the curler is anchored near the scalp (see FIG. 2). These protuberances I5 can take one or more of the shapes shown in FIGS. 3 to 6; that is to say, in FIG. 3 conical and pointed 15, FIG. 4 conical with a swelling 17 at the tip,

FIG. 5' a semicircular strip 18', FIG. 6 a rectangular strip 19. The plane of the strips 18 and 19 are perpendicular to the axis I ol'the curler.

The circumferentialsurfaces of the ends 12 of the body 10 are. provided with engaging elements 20 designed to permit the anchoringofthe curler near the scalp 21 by the gripping of the engaging elements 20in the roots22lof the hair 16-..as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably. the engaging'elements 20"arc made of upstandingflexible filaments ZJofsynthetic material whose ends are shaped like hooks 24. Such hooks24can be obtained by weaving a material of the pierced-looped type and then by cutting the loops laterally on one side. as shown in FIG; 8. It' is alsopossible to make two lateral cuts, instead of just one. so as to eliminate acertain length of the filament of each loop, as shown'in FIG. 9. The hooks l-tfcanalso be ohtained'by forming aseries of flexible lilaments-23 of synthetic and preferably thermoplastic material in an shape and by embedding one endv 25' of the filament 23-in'a base of plastic material26. Such hooks Z-Iformed of. flexible filaments 23.:16- cording'to the FIGS. 8to I0 are-thus held by a wovenbase $7 or by abase formed of. asheet' of plastic material26. Sucha base. 26 or 27'is then cut into strips of: appropriate widthto form'an engaging tape having the flexibleelements 23. extending outward from one surface thereof. Thus one end of the filament 23 is secured in said tape and the other end isinthe form of the. engagingelements 20. The tape. is secured to the circumferential exterior surface 28 of the.respectiveend'pon tions l2 as shown in the FIG. I by glue. solder or'sewing, as desired.

The engaging elements 20 of FIG. 7 are hooks-29 having stems 30 integrally formed with the end portions 121 of the curler body 10; The stems 30 preferably extend our radially from the exterior surface 28 of the end portions 112 and-their tips are readily formed, preferably by exposure to'the thermal source, into theform ofa hook 29 or a mushroom shape 31 of FIG. 11.

As seen in FIG. 2, sincethe diameters of the. circumferential exterior surfaces 280i the curler end portions 12 are greater than the maximum diameter of the concave exterior surface 1'3 of. the center portion 11, hair 16 willbe rolled only on the center portion 11'. In addition, this construction permits a complete lock of hair to be rolled with substantially all of its bulk within the circumferential recess defined betweenthe two end portions 12. Thus, when hair 16 is rolled tightl'yabout the curler center portion 11, the engaging meansZO on-the end portion exterior surface 28 can become engaged in the hair roots 2210 anchor the curler near the scalp-21'. When removal isdesired, a slight pull on the curler is sufficient to disengage the engaging means 20 from the hair roots 22. The hair 16 can then be unrolled without difficulty because it is. not held inany other way.

Even if protuberances 15 are provided'on centralexterior' surface l3of the curler center portion 11, unrolling is still accomplished without difficulty since the protuberances 15 do not actually hold'the hair 16; Rather, the protuberances 15 intermesh with' the hair 16 to aid in rolling and maintaining a tight roll.

The curler described above can havev small holes in the center portion 11 andflange portions 14'. Suchholes facilitate the drying of the hair by allowing the passage of air through the wallsofthose portions.

Numerous variations of'this curler could be imagined. Thus, I

the flange portions 14 could be circular, joining the cylindrical end portions 12. to the center portion 11 which would be further elongated and which could also be absolutely cylindrical.

Another variation would be to form the curler body 10 ofia more rigid type of the base.26 or 27. In this case, the protuberances 15 would be formed by straight-lined filaments 32 or 23 without the engaging elements. 20, these being kept. only around the end portions 12. It is also possible to cover the center portion ll of the standard curler with the base 26 or 27 gaging elements 20;

I claim:

l. A hair curler comprising an elongated tubular body of one-piece construction, the body including a center portion and end portions, the center portion having a maximum outside diameter substantially less than the minimum outside diameter of the end portions and defining a circumferential recess between the end portions; and hair engaging means provided only on the circumferential surface of each end portion and extending radially outwardly therefrom to anchor the curler adjacent the scalp after hair has been rolled about only the center portion of the curler, the entire bulk of the rolled hair being confined within the circumferential recess and being maintained out of contact with the hair engaging means.

2. A hair curler according to claim 1 wherein the hair engaging means comprise a plurality of upstanding hooking elements of flexible. resilient material.

3. A hair curler according to claim 2 wherein the hooking elements comprise filaments having bulbuous tips.

4. A hair curler according to claim I wherein the hair en gaging means are provided on a flexible tape. the tape being secured to the circumferential surface ofeach end portion.

. 5. A hair curler according to claim 1 wherein the exterior surface of the center portion ol the curler body is concave in longitudinal cross section.

6. A hair curler according to claim 1 further including a plurality of outwardly extending protuberances disposed about the exterior surface of the center portion. the protuberances aiding in maintaining the rolled hair in place about the exterior surface of the center portion.

7. A hair curler according to claim 6 wherein the protuberances are integral with the exterior surface of the center portion and extend radially outwardly therefrom.

8. A hair curler according to claim 6 wherein the protuberances are upstanding rectlinear filaments provided on a flexible tape, the tape being secured to the exterior surface ofthe center portion.

9. A hair curler according to claim 6 wherein the protuberances are tooth-shaped. 

